More info at DCIFF.

Official selection for 2010 – Final Schedule

One of the feature films DCFCPUG had an interest in is screening at the festival (Ghosts Don’t Exist) (Run time: 100 minutes).

Congrats to 19W for being selected to the festival this year!

A popular ghost hunter losing faith in what he believes is about to retire, but decides to take one last case when a potential client guarantees he’ll provide the proof he’s been looking for. Upon arriving at the home, the client announces that he will make good on the promise by contacting them himself from the beyond — then shoots himself in front of them.

Cast and Crew:
Director/Screenwriter/Producer:  Eric Espejo

Cast:
Devon Burt
Frederick Cowie
Josh Davidson
Phillip Roebuck

Cinematographer: Kunitaro Ohi
Music Director: James Sale

The Washington DC 48 Hour Film Project

Returning in 2010

The 48 Hour Film Project will return to DC from April 30th to May 2nd, 2010. Filmmakers from all over the DC area will compete to see who can make the best short film in only 48 hours. The winning film will go up against films from around the world for the title “Best 48 Hour Film of 2010″.

Sign up for the DC mailing list and we will inform you when more information is available.

DC 48HFP Links

• Sign up for the DC mailing list
• Join a DC team
• Email Mark Ruppert, DC Producer of the 48HFP
• Watch films from DC using our Film Catalogue and 48.tv
• See what’s playing on 48.tv

Let the fun begin….

VIRGINIA FESTIVALS AND SCREENINGS

Virginia and the capital region have a thriving film community which is exemplified by the number and variety of film festivals and screening opportunities held throughout the state. From the newest films to the golden age of Hollywood, all aspects of the industry can be seen and experienced.

These are a few of the Festivals and screening series that take place in Virginia each year. Please check the Virginia Film Office website,www.film.virginia.org for up-to-date details on these and other film-related events in Virginia.

48-Hour Film Project: Summer in Richmond and Hampton Roads. Teams of filmmakers create original short films in two days which are shown at a screening. Best films are selected for a national competition.

Arthouse Film Festival: October in Richmond. Showcasing short films by Virginia’s best filmmakers.

Bicycle Film Festival: July in Richmond.  A festival that celebrates the bicycle through music, art, and film. Now in its ninth year the festival is held in 39 cities worldwide.
ChinaFest: February in Richmond. Films and cultural activities to explore themes of diversity, humanity, and cross-cultural human understanding.

DC Independent Film Festival: March in Washington, DC. A wide array of independent films, including some by local filmmakers. Festival includes films, discussions with filmmakers, and seminars. Submissions are accepted.

The Final Cut Showcase: October in Charlottesville (at UVA). A non-competitive exhibition of films made by students that currently attend or have previously attended the University of Virginia.

Flicker: All year – Richmond. A bi-monthly screening in Richmond of shorts by local filmmakers. Other film related events throughout the year.
French Film Festival: March in Richmond. The newest French films presented by their award-winning actors and directors.  Sponsored by VCU and University of Richmond.

James River Film Festival: April in Richmond. This festival features ground-breaking work by independent media artists, workshops, screenings, seminars, and a juried competition each year.

Mid-Atlantic Black Film Festival:  October in Hampton Roads. An annual juried competition and showcase for independent filmmakers from all over the world presented by the Crispus Attucks Cultural Center. Short and student film competitions, premieres, international cinema, tributes, and educational workshops facilitated by leading figures in the film industry.
Naro Cinema: All-year in Norfolk. Numerous screenings of unusual films, including the “First Look Film Series,” a Sunday morning series featuring an advance screening of the latest offering from a roster of prominent independent, foreign, and up-and-coming filmmakers.

The Northern Virginia Film Festival: In October, a festival for young filmmakers who wish to develop their skills and showcase their talents.

Project Resolution: Monthly screenings of interesting and unusual short and longer films in at the Firehouse Theatre in Richmond, produced by Yellow House. Audience interaction with the filmmaker, unpredictable films, and free popcorn.
Rappahannock Independent Film Festival: September in Fredericksburg. An annual event dedicated to promoting excellence in independent filmmaking.

Redemptive Film Festival: October in Virginia Beach. An international festival that provides a forum for filmmakers to showcase their work on themes that depict the redemptive purposes of God.

Rosebud Film and Video Festival: Summer- Dates to be announced, in Arlington. Founded to promote the rich and diverse independent film and video community in Virginia, DC, and Maryland.

Slapsticon: July in Arlington. A four-day, international film festival dedicated to classic motion picture comedy! Film lovers from around the world are invited to attend screenings of rare shorts and selected feature-length comedies.

Veneration Film Festival: February in Newport News. Explores redemptive themes through film in order to promote the art of storytelling, provide exposure and education for aspiring filmmakers, and build community on the Virginia Peninsula.

Virginia Festival of Jewish Film: A festival of Jewish cinema held annually in Norfolk in January.

Virginia Film Festival: Fall in Charlottesville. An eclectic mix of films, with discussions by filmmakers and experts. Year-round screenings of new and unusual films.

Virginia Independent Film Festival: Early Spring in Richmond. This festival features the finalists in the Virginia Film Competition in three categories: Feature films, shorts, and documentaries, and is sponsored by the Virginia Film Office.

Williamsburg Film Festival: March in Williamsburg. A festival honoring the Golden Age of Hollywood

One of our members, Charlotte (“Char”) Rinderknecht and her business partner/husband, Bill own and operate the entertainment production studio, STUDIO KINATE in Northern Virginia. We were invited to share their special day today, at one of this area’s most authentic Irish Pub and Restaurant, The Auld Shebeen, in Old Town Fairfax, VA.

A few weeks ago, Char was interviewed by The Washington Post. The article was published today (1/24/2010), (online 1/23/2010) so today was a celebration of getting recognition from The Post on her achievements to date. Read the article linked above and congratulate her when she comes to visit us this summer as our featured guest speaker for July 2010.

---

Studio Kinate recently won some top Animation Awards for their animated short,”Pete’s Odydessy”.  A sample clip from the short is below with other editons also available on YouTube.

Pete’s Odydessy was produced with a team of artists, led by former Director of the Disney Institute, Larry Lauria. Larry currently runs the Larry’s Toon Institute.

---

On the back of Char Rinderknecht’s business cards is the Walt Disney quote:

“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.”

Today’s lunch meeting demonstrated again that this region is rich with talent, vision and kindred spirits. Rekindling DCFCPUG, some would say, is a similar challenge (doing the impossible…) but with a focused approach to build a working community of digital artists, we can all ride on the successes of each others’ endeavors and give back to one another so we grow as a family. For example, Char and DCFCPUG intersected at our first CDIA Georgetown Screenwriter’s Event in April 2009, featuring Jim Mercurio.  Char and I have been leveraging the social media technologies to stay in touch and help each other.  At today’s meeting, I shared how DCFCPUG partners with our corporate sponsors which now will allow her to maximize her resources and create a shared benefit to create a win-win scenario.

---

DCFCPUG and Studio Kinate are now exploring ways to grow an ANIMATION TBUG (ToomBoom)  microsite in Northern Virginia, leveraging our relationship we are building with ToomBoom.  Thanks to the generosity of  the VP, Marketing and Communications, Karina Bessoudo at ToomBoom for the interest in DCFCPUG.  ToomBoom is a sponsor of the DCFCPUG and are fans of their Storyboard Pro and Animate Pro software applications. Char and I both agree, that the art of storytelling is at the heart of what we do, whether it be on Apple’s Final Cut Studio, or ToomBoom’s Storyboard Pro and Animate Pro.  We all use the right tool for the job to get the story told .  Char is a fan of DCFCPUG and we appreciate her telling everyone in her circle of influence about the world of Final Cut Studio and its tie in with the creative 2D animation world.

---

I  appreciate Char and Bill’s contributions to putting American animators to work and her involvement in the Tyson Animation Program at the Cicely Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts in East Orange, New Jersey. I personally am looking forward to the continued collaboration with Char, Bill, and Larry.  We (DCFCPUG) will get a shot at assisting her toward her dream, while giving DCFCPUG members opportunities to get involved in the production workflow.  If you are interested in participating, let me know, as I will be discussing an upcoming project where we will be potentially given an opportunity to shoot, edit, produce training videos for Larry Lauria.  Leave a comment or email me if you are interested in getting involved.

Here’s to a successful 2010!

---

Warm regards,

DC Filmmakers and Film Enthusiasts—

Special 48 Hour Film Project screenings heading your way.

Best of DC 48HFP at the GV Expo—Wednesday and Thursday

Special Baltimore 48HFP films about Edgar Allan Poe at the Baltimore Museum of Art

1) Don’t miss the annual GVExpo at the Washington Convention Center.  This trade show has all of the top manufacturers demonstrating their latest equipment.  In addition, you can join or renew your membership with TIVA, the local television and video professional association, at a discounted rate.

A selection of the Best of DC 2009 48 Hour Films will be screening:

Wednesday, December 2    11:30 am – 12:30 pm

Thursday, December 3         11:30 am – 12:30 pm

2) If you are someone who loves Edgar Allan Poe, we’ve got something for you.

Our Baltimore 48HFP Producer, Rob Hatch, and a number of Baltimore 48 Hour filmmakers have collaborated with the world renowned Baltimore Museum of Art to bring you 48 Hours of Madness: A Cinematic Celebration of Edgar Allan Poe.

17 filmmakers from around the greater Baltimore area chose a Poe character and line, and were assigned one of three themes from the BMA’s exhibit, Edgar Allan Poe; A Baltimore Icon.  As you may know, 2009 is the bicentennial of Poe’s birth, and he died and is buried here in Baltimore.

Come see how different filmmakers and filmmaking teams took the themes of Fear and Terror, Love and Loss, and Madness and Obsession and turned these into dark, macabre, humorous, and surreal cinematic visions.

The screenings are free and open to the public.

December 4 and December 11th,

8PM

Baltimore Museum of Art.

Different films will be shown at each screening, and the museum opens at 6 PM for this special event.

You can find out more at http://www.artbma.org/calendar/films.html#Film or   www.48hourfilm.com/baltimore

Hope to see you there, and don’t be afraid of the dark!

Enjoy!

Rodney

DCFCPUG

North Carolina Local newspaper short video on the events this week.